Legislation to establish the $118 million National Health Performance Authority has passed through the lower house. The Authority will report on the performance of local hospital networks; public hospitals; private hospitals; primary healthcare organisations; and other bodies or organisations that provide health care services. It will be required to deliver performance reports to the parliament on an annual basis.

 

Under the inter-governmental agreement, state and territory governments will be given 45 days' notice of assessment results before they are released to the public

 

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said the National Health Performance Authority and the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority are to be established without any increase in the number of federal bureaucrats.

 

The NHPA will produce reports on the performance of hospitals and primary health care services while the IHPA will set the efficient price for services provided by public hospitals.

 

“In fact, the total number of bureaucrats employed by the Department of Health and Ageing is set to decline over the next two years, demonstrating our Government’s commitment to an effective and efficient public service,” Ms Roxon said.

 

Other initiatives designed to improve national standards of health delivery and transparent reporting under the health care reform package include permanently establishing and expanding the role of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC); and establishing National and Local Lead Clinicians Groups (LCG).

 

More information about the National Health Performance Authority is available through www.yourhealth.gov.au